Which is the best place to see the Golden Rice Field in Northern Vietnam?

Wetland rice farming is a very common farming method in Vietnam and you can find rice paddy fields everywhere among the country. In the mountainous areas, you will see mostly they cultivate terraced rice fields while in Red River Delta or lowlands, mostly they grow flat and spacious rice fields. This is because the rice needs a lot of water to grow and with terraced rice farming, peasants take advantage of the water flowing from the hillside into rice terraces, especially when they transplant rice seedlings.

The Golden Rice Fields during harvest season is one of the most impressive views that any tourists going on their Northern Vietnam Tours would love to see. When the harvest season comes, the fields are covered with mesmerizing yellow color. The combination of blue sky, green mountains and yellow paddy fields with ethnic houses will create a mind-blowing scenery for tourists. So where are the best places to capture these stunning golden rice fields in Vietnam?

These glooming golden rice fields are breath-taking

1. Tam Coc

Along with the famous World Heritage Site - Halong Bay, Ninh Binh is also one of the must-see destinations in your Vietnam Tour with amazing landscapes and a peaceful atmosphere. Located in Ninh Binh, Tam Coc is considered the most popular attraction besides Bai Dinh Pagoda, Trang An Complex or Hoa Lu Ancient Capital for its picturesque paddy fields and scenic view from the mountains. With its cave system, limestone mountains and spectacular rice paddy fields, it is also known with the name “Halong Bay on land”. This is a perfect place for travelers looking for an easy day trip away from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi.

We can catch bright yellow rice fields from mid-April to early June, which is the time for the perfect blue sky and not so sunny weather. The most common activity in Tam Coc is the boat ride in Ngo Dong River. From the boat, you will see the magnificent view of the sky, the mountains and the shades of yellow rice fields are truly breath-taking. Along the road, you will see the hard-working peasants wading through the water to harvest the rice.

Tourists can easily reach Tam Coc from Hanoi Capital via train, car, bus or even motorbike. On your day trip to Tam Coc, you can also visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and Mua Caves. Therefore, there’s no doubt that Tam Coc is the first in the list of best places to see the Golden Rice Fields.

Tam Coc is the easiest place to visit if you want to see the golden rice fields

2. Mai Chau

Located about 140km from Hanoi and 65 km from Hoa Binh province, we will find the incredible valley of Mai Chau. Surrounded by mountains and covered with rice fields, the valley of Mai Chau is one of the best alternative destinations for Sapa if you don’t have much time but still want to admire the wonderful view of the golden rice fields.

The main attraction in Mai Chau is undoubtedly to relax, enjoy the nature and tranquil atmosphere of this area. It is very easy to visit Mai Chau by bus or motorbike. Coming here, you will have a chance to try the tempting colorful sticky rice and local wine, try one day to stay with locals in their stilt houses.

Mai Chau is also considered the best place to see the Golden Rice Field beside of Tam Coc. After a short trekking tour, you will be amazed by its rice paddy fields cultivated by H’Mong and Tay's tribes stretching to the skyline. And the best time to witness this famous golden rice fields will be between May and June when the rice just begins to ripen.

Mai Chau is an alternative choice for Sapa as one of the best place to see the golden rice fields

3. Bac Son Valley

Bac Son Town is located about 70 km from Lang Son Province and 160 km from Hanoi. In the heart of this rural district, you will find Bac Son Valley surrounded by charming mountains and beautiful sceneries. Coming here, you will enjoy pleasant weather, beautiful place, inhabited by nice and friendly people and featuring some ancestral crafts.

This is home to many ethnic groups in the mountain and people here mainly do farming for their daily life. Thanks to the flat land, beautiful weather and rich soil, Bac Son Valley is an ideal place for planting rice. Tay people in Bac Son Valley cultivate two crops in one year: one at the end of July and one in mid-November. These are the two best periods for tourists to see the yellow paddy fields.

The rice terraces in Bac Son are very unique, the yellow ripen paddies are dotted with green ones. This is because peasants here grow crops at a different time and it’s also the reason why Bac Son Valley is one of the best places for the Golden Paddy Fields.

Bac Son Valley has a unique view for the golden rice fields

4. Sapa

If you love trekking through the mountainous areas, you would be so regretful if you don’t visit Sapa during your trip in Vietnam. Sapa lies in Northwestern Vietnam, near the Chinese border. This is one of the most outstanding attractions with phenomenal landscapes, not to mention significant cultural importance. Sapa is home to many ethnic tribes and ethnic people here grow rice and carve them into the hilly or mountainous slopes. Talking to locals, you will find out that some rice terraces here are hundreds or even thousands of years old and have been the main feeding crop of the region.

The curving terraces perfectly fit the landscape across the valley, creating a splendid painting of Mother Nature. They make Sapa an ideal place for hiking and photo hunt. Besides the beautiful rice terraces, it’s also a good place for travelers seeking for local experience with the ethnic culture.

The rice terraces in Sapa usually ripen from the last week of August to mid-September and can be found in Ta Van, Lao Chai, Ta Phin, Ta Giang Phinh, Muong Hum and Cat Cat Village. Don’t miss this place if you are planning to visit Northern Vietnam – one of the best places to see the Yellow Rice Fields!

Sapa is the most famous place for tourists to visit during harvest season for its gorgeous golden rice terraces

5. Mu Cang Chai

If you are planning to visit the North of Vietnam, make sure you don’t miss Mu Cang Chai in your bucket list. With unspoiled nature and adventurous trails, the golden rice terraces in Mu Cang Chai were listed as one of the most magnificent landscapes in the world. The rice terraces here are created by the hard-work of H’Mong people, they have become significant in their culture and represent the indomitable spirit of locals here against the rigorous nature.

To reach Mu Cang Chai, you can jump on a bus to travel from Hanoi to Than Uyen and from there you can go to Mu Cang Chai. Otherwise, you can travel to Yen Bai province, rent a motorbike and travel around. There are many exciting attractions besides the yellow rice terraces and Khau Pha Pass is among one of them. On the way, you will pass Tu Le, Cao Phuc Valley, Lu Thai, Lung Mong, etc.

Rice in Mu Cang Chai ripens quite late, normally from September to the first week of October. During the harvest season, this area brings a marvelous beauty with Golden Rice Fields stretching all over the place. This is our top recommended place for tourists to see the golden rice terraces in Vietnam.

Mu Cang Chai is very beautiful during harvest season

6. Y Ty

If Sapa and Mu Cang Chai sound awesome when we talk about the golden rice fields, check out Y Ty, you will find perfect tranquility here. Y Ty is in the northernmost region of Vietnam, about 70 km from Sapa and it’s among the poorest places in the country. This is the impeccable place if you are looking for “true north” of Vietnam where you can enjoy the pristine nature.

People come to Y Ty for two main purposes: to hunt the clouds or to take photos of extraordinary rice terraces. With the background of white clouds, the rice fields here become gorgeous with unbelievable beauty. You will have a chance to take photos of the clouds moving over the field, which can’t be found anywhere else in Vietnam.

The crop season in Y Ty varies depending on every year, but it’s usually from September to October. During this month, travelers coming here will be overwhelmed with the picturesque Yellow Rice Terraces which look like a staircase to heaven. These jaw-dropping rice fields attract thousands of tourists every year. Undoubtedly, Y Ty is the best place to see the beautiful golden rice terraces.

From Hanoi, you can take a night train or limousine bus to Lao Cai province and then take another bus to get to Y Ty. You can also rent a motorbike in Lao Cai to go there but be careful because the road is quite dangerous.

Y Ty with its pristine nature is one of the best places to see the golden rice field